Gold Coast Suns Rise on the Water

Some are keener than others and one in particular is Michael Coad, a South Australian who cut his teeth on King George Whiting and Snapper.
Our first trip together was out chasing snapper on plastics. It was a great day though the snapper would not play the game. I decided to take Coady to the Aquarius wreck off South Straddy for some fun on bonito and tailor as there had been a few around and had to save face.
In no time Coady had caught quite a few and he was having a great time.The bite had slowed and I suggested we try for some flathead in the Broadwater( Flathead fishing in South Australia is not as popular as it is here and the fish are much smaller).  I told him about the the Large Dusky’s we catch and he was keen to try and get one.
He took to plastics fishing like a duck to water and in no time he had several small flathead to 45cm. We were drifting along South Stradbroke Island when he called out to me he was snagged. All of a sudden the snag was moving faster than the tinny and I said to him he had a good fish on and it just might be a good flathead.
After a few minutes he had the fish near the boat, the look of surprise or was it shock was all over his face. This was the biggest flathead he had ever seen. I netted it for him and took the obligatory photo’s.
Coady had no issues releasing the fish.  His first large flathead on the Goldy…………. 80cm. He didn’t waste time taking a picture on his phone and sending it to his dad.
Because of their training commitments it was some months before Coady was out with me again.
This time we fished the Pin, and bugger me dead if his first fish was an 86cm beast..the boy is blessed. We fished around the Pin area for several more hours only to land a few small fish. We called it a day after that.
 Coady had a great time and I am sure he will be out again soon. He is keen to better 86cm. 
snares himself an awesome 80cm flathead. Caught on soft plastics it was safely released.